In recent years, inkjet printers (hereinafter simply called “printers”) have found wide-spread commercial utility as representative image-recording systems making use of water-based inks (hereinafter simply called “inks”) Reflecting the move toward high-quality printers, the use of such printers has expanded to the recording of general documents, the recording of color documents, the preparation of color New Year's cards, the printing of color photographs, the preparation of large drawings, the drafting of large advertisement posters, and the like.
Concerning the users of such printers, on the other hand, they have spread not only to office or business users but also to personal users. Keeping in step with the developments of computer-to-plates in the printing industry field, the use of such printers has also expanded to general printing such as the printing of simple prints and the printing of proof sheets.